I Chiril os Salod – The Lady of Shalott
by dreamingfifi
Summary: I translated Lord Alfred Tennyson's poem "The Lady of Shalott" into Sindarin, as if it was being sung by an Elf of Doriath. I managed to preserve the 8-beat meter and the rhyming-scheme of the original poem! Retranslated


In a fit of translation fervor, I decided to take on my favorite Lord Alfred Tennyson poem into Sindarin. The translation notes will be in the last chapter. If you would like some Elvish in your fanfiction, go to my forums or my website.

Disclaimer: I didn't write Alfred Tennyson's poem, and I'm making no money off this translation.

It was difficult, but I managed to make all of the lines either four or eight syllables long and rhyming, so you can sing along with Loreena Mckennett in Sindarin.

I used Sindarin in the style of the people of Doriath speakers, for the more regal feeling it has.

First is the Sindarin; then is the literal translation into English; then is the original poem.

**I Chiril os Salod**** – The Lady of Shalott**

**Part I**

_Sindarin:_

Po athrant dorthar breniel  
rídhien i-thair theriel,  
Hammar dawar, govenir ell;  
A thrî rîdh i ven hiriel

Am marad Camelod;

Adh in gwaith dadwen a dandol,  
Tired had i-ningloer lodol  
Nu-din os dol,

I dol Salod.

Yrn girir, tethair nimmidar,  
Hwist dithin hwiniar a thuiar  
Trî i 'ol i ui-hiriar  
min hirion a thol na char

Rimmad a Chamelod.

Canad raim a beraid vithrin  
Orthirir i had-i-phirin,  
Adh i dol dínen bauglar dîn

I chiril os Salod.

Anin hîr, dathar-'wathrannen,  
I lynt lyng pennar aphannen  
Ad lebyr; adh ú-huilonen  
Lunt lodant nan ram ídhannen

Lodad dad a Chamelod

Dam man idír i huiloneth?  
Egor den idír a henneth?  
Egor the hinnen min ndórath,

I chiril os Salod?

Crithoer, crithad ne minuial,  
Mi faing iau apharch orchal  
Lastar 'laer veren lend iallol  
Od i hirion hwiniol,

Dad ani meraid Camelod:

Nuin galad Ithil, i grithor  
Brastol 'othair mi thynd na-nadhor,  
Lastol pêd "Elleth e-ninglor,

I chiril os Salod."

_Literal English:_

On either side of the river dwells surviving  
great-fields of grass flourishing,  
They clothe woods, they meet the sky;  
And through fields the flowing road

To the many towers of Camelot;

And the peoples go back and come back,  
Seeing a place of floating water-lilies  
Beneath them around an island,

The island of Shalott.

Trees quiver, willows whiten,  
little breezes twirl and blow  
Through the waves that ever-flow  
in the great river by the island with a building

Flowing downwards to Camelot.

Four grey walls and grey towers,  
Overlook the place of the winking-flowers.  
And the silent isle oppresses silently

The lady of Shalott.

To the river, willow-veiled,  
The heavy boat slants downwards followed  
By horses; and not greeted  
The boat floated with desirable wings

Floating down to Camelot:

But who saw the greeter?  
Or saw her by the window?  
Or is she known in all the lands,

The lady of Shalott?

Reapers, reaping in morning-twilight,  
In the beards of tall, dry corn  
Hears a cheerful sweet song calling  
From the great river spinning,

Down to the towers of Camelot:

Under the light of Moon, the reaper  
Carrying bundles of grass in the hills with pasture,  
Listening, he says, "Elf-maid of the waterlily,

The Lady of Shalott."

_English by Lord Alfred Tennyson:_

On either side the river lie  
Long fields of barley and of rye,  
That clothe the wold and meet the sky;  
And through the field the road runs by

To many-towered Camelot;

And up and down the people go,  
Gazing where the lilies blow  
Round an island there below,

The island of Shalott.

Willows whiten, aspens quiver,  
Little breezes dusk and shiver  
Through the wave that runs for ever  
By the island in the river

Flowing down to Camelot.

Four grey walls, and four grey towers,  
Overlook a space of flowers,  
And the silent isle imbowers

The Lady of Shalott.

By the margin, willow-veiled,  
Slide the heavy barges trailed  
By slow horses; and unhailed  
The shallop flitteth silken-sailed

Skimming down to Camelot:

But who hath seen her wave her hand?  
Or at the casement seen her stand?  
Or is she known in all the land,

The Lady of Shalott?

Only reapers, reaping early  
In among the bearded barley,  
Hear a song that echoes cheerly  
From the river winding clearly,

Down to towered Camelot:

And by the moon the reaper weary,  
Piling sheaves in uplands airy,  
Listening, whispers "'Tis the fairy

Lady of Shalott."

Translation notes:

Some of you may be curious why I wrote "Salod" for "Shalott" and "Camelod" for "Camelot" and "Lanselod" for "Lancelot" in the translation. I was simply translating the words into Sindarin phonology. Sindarin doesn't have the "SH" sound, and P's, T's, and C's directly following a vowel at the end or within a word must become B's, D's, or G's.

"Great Fields" (rídhien) from "fields-vast/great/wide" (rîdh+iend).

"Sky" (ell) from Tolkien's earlier version of Doriathrin (gell) under the root _ƷEL_.

"Wave" (gol) from Telerin (vola).

"Greeter" (suiloneth) (suil+oneth) modeled after "bread-giver" (bassoneth).


End file.
